The Lancaster NewsTwo secTions – 22 pages – 50¢Lancaster, south carolina sunday, February 17, 2008

wHaT’s insiDe ToDaY:Ball players, reporter help students

with assignmenteDUcaTion news, 7a

Local deaths:Mary Mae CantyWarren Helms Sr.

Jessie MackeyFrankie Murphy

Georgia SaundersJames Tarlton

Dorothy Mae WestbrookoBiTUaRies, 4a

who’s that girl?Family identifies photo

of Sadie Barton HowardFaces & pLaces, 1B

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weaTHeR oUTLook: Today: Chance of showers. 60/51 Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. 60/30

Regular features:Classified..................7BDave Barry................4BDear Abby ................4BEducation .................7AOpinion ..................11APolice, Fire, EMS........4ASports.....................9A

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Heritage Tract preserves river’s shoreThe state completed the purchase of the Heritage Tract last fall for $5.4

1,540n Number of acres in the Heritage Tract

1,000n Species that live in and around the Catawba River

203n Number of acres recently obtained by Katawba Valley Land Trust in Heritage Tract, along Rocky Creek, Great Falls Reservoir and Fishing Creek

161n Number of new acreage of conservation easements along Fishing Creek in Chester County and Camp Creek in Lancaster County

Trail in the worksMuch of the Heritage Tract is undeveloped and not ac-cessible by the public. But Great Falls has received a $90,000 grant for trail construction on the north side of Rocky Creek. An engineering firm is taking a look at the property to de-termine construction costs, which will determine the length of the trail.

Rocky Creek

Rare plants? KVLT President Lindsay Pettus said the new acquisitions fit the land trust’s mission of preserving the land along the Catawba River. But they were also bought for “rea-sons of biology,” he said. There may be rare plants in a bog area of the new prop-erty. Biologist James Barn-well of York County is study-ing the area for rare plants.The Heritage Tract is also important for migrating birds, which stop along the river during migration or winter there, Pettus said.

“It (the grist mill) brought people from miles around. It was the center of activity, not only economically, but socially.”

–Lindsay pettus– president, Katawba Valley Land Trust

PHoTo CouRTeSY oF gReaT FaLLs Home Town associaTion

Here is an aerial of the area around great Falls. most every-thing on the left side and the top of the photo is the Heritage Tract.

jameY sHepHeRD/nEWS EDiTOr

a cactus bathes in the sunlight on a portion of the Heritage Tract.

pettus

Historical landmark: grist millIn the new Rocky Creek-area acquisition are the remains of a very early 1800s grist mill built, likely built by Benjamin Hart. Later known as Pickett’s Mill, this mill ground grain for settlers of the area and livestock. It became a well know trading area for many miles. A cotton gin, a saw mill operation, country store and a tannery were also established on this site.Greenberry Montgomery, an owner of the mill, also built a mansion there. Whatever buildings were there in February 1865, they were destroyed by Gen. William T. Sherman’s Federal troops as they moved across the Catawba River at Rocky Mount/Great Falls.

BiLL pRice/SPECiAL TO THE LAnCASTEr nEWS

Rocky creek is one of many places on the Heritage Tract where you’ll find picturesque scenes.

Q: what is a conservation easement?a: A conservation easement is a voluntary contract between a pri-vate landowner and a conserva-tion organization. They restrict the use of the land forever. The terms of the easement become part of the deed and pass from one own-er to the next.

The state finalized the purchase of 1,540 acres in the tract last fall. The S.C. Conservation Bank, Duke energy Habitat enhancement Program and Katawba Valley Land Trust members provided the funds to buy the Rocky Creek property this year. Conservation easements were donated by Crescent Resources, the real-estate arm of Duke energy. Lindsay Pettus hopes that 100 years from now, the land in the trust will still be preserving plant and animal species, bird habitats and trails.

How the tract was put together

Heritage Tract

Heritage Tract

Heritage Tract

Heritage Tract

Heritage TractHeritage Tract

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Heritage TractLa

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Information compiled by Jenny Hartley/senior reporterInformational graphic by Jamey Shepherd/news editor

Proposed trail

Harriet Tubman’s relative talks to students at Discovery School inside news, 3a

Report of smoke brings fire trucks to The Lancaster News inside news, 6a

million. The tract, mainly in Chester and Lancaster counties, will remain undevel-oped and be managed by the Katawba Valley Land Trust, which will preserve the shoreline of the Catawba River in this area rich in beauty and history.

jameY sHepHeRD nEWS EDiTOr

There’s no telling what type of wild-life you might see on the tract.

Church baptizes woman at 104Alexander says she’s got things right now

By AuDrEy unDErWOODFor The LancasTer news

Recently members and guests of Flint Ridge Baptist Church wit-nessed something that no one ever has before.

Florence Alexander was among four others who were baptized on Feb. 10.

What makes Al-exander so unique?

She’s 104 years old.

Pastor Kelvin Hinson of Flint Ridge introduced his brother, Pastor Stacey Hinson of Higher Ground Christian Church, who would be baptizing Alexander.

Their church “adopted” Alexan-der after several members visited her before Christmas to see if she had any needs.

alexander

See aLeXanDeR, Page 3a

By JEnny HArTLEysenior reporTer

INDIAN LAND – Business lead-ers, chamber of commerce mem-bers and employment officials now have a place to meet in the Pan-handle.

Merrifield Partners, the devel-oper of 521 Commerce Center on U.S. 521, donated a 1,300-square-foot space in the Pinckney Build-ing for use by Lancaster County Economic Development Corp., Lancaster County Chamber of Com-merce and the lo-cal office of the S.C. Employment Security Commis-sion.

The three enti-ties will share the cost of a monthly $565 maintenance fee, said LCEDC President Keith Tunnell.

“Often times, all of us have had a need for office space, a place to meet” in Indian Land, Tunnell said.

Tunnell made it clear that the development corporation is not moving to Indian Land.

Chamber, LCEDC get IL officeEmployment Security Commission also to share space in donated Panhandle office

See panHanDLe, Page 2a

Tunnell